NEW DELHI: The Nagpur airport is buzzing with passengers rushing to collect their luggage and catch their connecting flights. Amid the chaos, Yash ThakurThe phone rang with the call she had dreamed of all her life – her maiden call to India.The 27-year-old fast bowler recently landed in Nagpur when he learned that he has been selected in India’s squad for the T20I series against Zimbabwe. This is the reward of years of hard work in domestic cricket and the IPL. But for Yash, the opportunity was more than fulfilling his own dream. It is about fulfilling the dream of his late father, Ravi Singh Thakur. Yash’s father died after suffering a fatal cardiac arrest in 2023, just a few months before his son’s career began to reach new heights.“Ye papa ka hi dream tha. Aur main unke liye bahut grateful hoon kyunki day one se jab tak woh the, he always supported me and dekhna chahte the mujhe India jersey mein. Aaj wo hote to bahot khush hote [It was my father’s dream. I am very grateful to him because from day one, until he was with us, he always supported me. If he were here today, he would have been extremely happy],” Yash told Timesofindia.com.“He is my biggest inspiration. He has done so much for me and my career. I have seen him make countless sacrifices for me. This moment is his and dedicated to him,” he said.
Reunion with: Morne Morkel
A familiar face waiting for Yash in the Indian dressing room was Team India bowling coach Morne Morkel.The two worked together at Lucknow Super Giants before Yash moved to Punjab Kings, and the pacer says the former South African fast bowler has helped him improve both technically and mentally.“When I was at LSG, I learned a lot of technical aspects of fast bowling from Morne Morkel. He has a lot of international experience. I learned from him the technical side of bowling, how to back up your strength, how to trust your skills on different wickets and how to take wickets. We got along really well at LSG, so I’m really looking forward to meeting him again, talking about these things and continuing to learn from him,” he said.
Since making his List A debut in 2017, Yash has taken nearly 100 wickets in 57 matches, played 74 T20s and featured in 22 IPL matches for Lucknow Super Giants and Punjab Kings, claiming 27 wickets, including five wicket hauls.“He always told me, ‘You have a good cricketing brain, but always think about which deliveries suit your strengths on a particular pitch and which balls will help you get wickets.’ His bowling was very simple. Before every spell, we discuss which deliveries are most effective on that wicket and how I can get wickets there,” Yash said.“In my first IPL season in 2023, he helped me a lot in every match I played. Those discussions with him shaped the way I think. My mind is always about getting wickets. Pressure situations actually excite me because that’s when I want to take wickets and help my team win. Bowling in pressure conditions motivates me more,” he said.
Learn from: Shreyas Iyer
Yash is one of the three players who received their first India T20I call-up for the tour of Zimbabwe. Wicketkeeper-batter Prabhsimran Singh and Rajasthan pacer Ashok Sharma are the other two newcomers.If Yash makes his international debut, he will again play under Punjab Kings captain Shreyas Iyer. Having already spent a season under Iyer in the IPL, Yash believes the Indian captain’s greatest strength is the confidence he instills in his bowlers.
The Vidarbha pacer is now eager to begin his international journey under Iyer’s leadership.“Shreyas is an amazing captain. I learned a lot from him. Yes, he is an aggressive captain and always wants his team to stay on top. He has his own unique way of working. I always say he is a captain bowler. He talks to the bowlers first, discusses the plans with them and gives them complete freedom. I played under him in the IPL, and now coming back under his captaincy in the Indian team will help me a lot,” the 27-year-old said.
Ponting’s winning mindset
Yash also spent the IPL under the head coach of Punjab Kings Ricky Pontingwhose influence goes beyond tactics.When asked if Ponting was a tough taskmaster, Yash said the Australian legend’s never-give-up attitude and his ability to inspire confidence set him apart.“The biggest lesson I learned from Ricky sir is that no matter what the situation is, you should always think about winning. You should always think about how you can win the game and help the team win. That was his mindset. No matter what happens or what the situation is, your focus should always be on winning. That winning mindset should never change.he said.Yash also recalled a dressing room speech from Ponting that summed up his thinking perfectly.Punjab Kings chased down 265 against Delhi Capitals earlier this IPL season after KL Rahul’s unbeaten 152 powered Delhi to 264/2.Many in the dressing room felt that the target was out of reach. However, Ponting’s message was different.“When we went back to the dressing room, Sir Ricky only said one thing: ‘I don’t care what it is. From the first ball, our mindset has to be no matter what the score is, we’re going to chase it.’ And eventually we chased down the target, won the match and created an IPL record for the longest successful run chase in that match,” said Yash.“That’s his mindset. He lifted the confidence of every single member of the team. We were very happy after winning that match. It was truly memorable,” he added.Yash believes Iyer has the same fearless approach.“The same goes for Shreyas as well. His mindset is exactly the same. Whatever the situation, we have to play to win and make sure we win,” said the 27-year-old.